Navicat
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software development |
| Founded | March 2002 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong |
| Products | Navicat (database management and development tools), Navicat Data Modeler, Navicat iOS, Navicat Cloud, Navicat Monitor, Navicat On-Prem Server, Navicat BI & Viewer |
| Website | www |
Navicat represents a collection of graphical database management and development tools created by PremiumSoft CyberTech Ltd. It offers compatibility with MySQL, MariaDB, Redis, MongoDB, Oracle, SQLite, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Snowflake. Designed with an Explorer-style interface, Navicat allows simultaneous connections to multiple databases, whether hosted locally or remotely. Its primary audience includes database administrators, developers, and enterprises handling client information and collaborating with external partners.
History
Initially developed to streamline the management of MySQL databases, Navicat for MySQL earned several prestigious accolades at the Hong Kong ICT 2008 event, including the Award of the Year, Best Business Grand Award, and Best Business (Product) Gold Award.
Supported platforms and languages
Navicat is engineered as a cross-platform solution, functioning on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems. It supports 13 different languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, Malay, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.
Standalone versions
PremiumSoft introduced Navicat for MySQL on Windows in March 2002 as its inaugural product release. Mac OS X and Linux editions followed in 2003. Support for MariaDB was incorporated in November 2013. The product line broadened with Navicat for PostgreSQL, initially launched on Windows in 2005 and subsequently on Mac OS X in 2006; the Linux version was released in 2009. In 2008, Navicat expanded into the Oracle domain with versions for Windows and Mac OS X, adding Linux support a year later. This Oracle edition includes essential functionalities such as Directory management, Tablespace handling, Synonym creation, Materialized Views, Triggers, Sequences, and Types.
Navicat for SQLite became available simultaneously on Windows and Mac OS X in April 2009; the Linux version was introduced two months afterward. From version 9 released in April 2010 onward, SQLite support was integrated into Navicat Premium. The debut of Navicat for SQL Server occurred in November 2010 on both Windows and Mac OS X platforms, with SQL Azure compatibility added by January 2011. MariaDB support was extended across all platforms in November 2013 and made available within both Navicat Premium and Navicat for MySQL.
In 2018, Navicat ventured into NoSQL database management by launching Navicat for MongoDB across all major operating systems. This edition provides native MongoDB administration capabilities including MapReduce processing and GridFS Buckets support; these features were also incorporated into Navicat Premium.
May 2023 marked the release of Navicat for Redis, which includes functionalities such as key-value data visualization, Pub/Sub messaging support, Command Monitoring tools, as well as Backup and Restore options.
Navicat for Snowflake was introduced in March 2025 featuring advanced query construction tools, user-friendly data visualization interfaces, and efficient data migration utilities specifically designed for managing Snowflake databases.
In 2009, PremiumSoft unveiled Navicat Premium—a unified software solution that merges all previous standalone Navicat products into one application capable of connecting simultaneously to multiple database types such as MySQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL. This facilitates seamless cross-database data transfer. Available on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms, version 9 (released April 2010) incorporated SQLite connectivity; Microsoft SQL Server support followed in November 2010 alongside SQL Azure integration in January 2011. MariaDB compatibility was added in November 2013. The addition of MongoDB support in July 2018 expanded its NoSQL database management features. Redis integration arrived with Navicat Premium version 16.2 in May 2023. The May 2024 update to version 17 introduced enhancements including Visual Explain plans, Data Dictionary generation, and Data Profiling tools. In March 2025, Snowflake support was integrated alongside innovative AI-powered features aimed at improving query formulation, data analytics, and operational workflows.
Navicat Data Modeler was initially launched for Windows in March 2012, with subsequent releases for Mac OS X and Linux arriving in May and June of the same year. This independent application allows developers to visually construct data models for databases including MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. It supports reverse and forward engineering, ODBC table imports, SQL script generation, and the ability to print models. In June 2015, the tool expanded its capabilities by adding MariaDB compatibility along with features such as Model Conversion and integration with Navicat Cloud. The release of version 4 in May 2024 introduced support for MongoDB, enhanced synchronization between databases and models, and workspace comparison tools. By March 2025, Snowflake database support was incorporated alongside advanced modeling techniques like Data Vault 2.0 and Dimensional modeling to improve data architecture management.
PremiumSoft launched Navicat iOS in August 2013 as a mobile database management solution that includes features like an object viewer/designer, query builder/editor, integration with Navicat Cloud, and server monitoring capabilities. Initially limited to MySQL support, the platform expanded to include Navicat for PostgreSQL iOS in January 2015 and later Navicat for MariaDB iOS in September 2017.
Navicat Cloud offers a synchronization service that allows users to keep connection configurations, queries, aggregation pipelines, code snippets, model workspaces, BI workspaces, and virtual group data consistent across various devices and platforms. It also facilitates collaborative project sharing involving these components.
Introduced in April 2018, Navicat Monitor is a secure remote server monitoring solution that operates without agents and supports MySQL, MariaDB, and cloud-based databases. Accessible through web browsers, it provides live performance tracking, alert notifications, query analysis tools, and replication monitoring functions. Support for SQL Server was added in June 2019, followed by PostgreSQL compatibility in February 2023.
Navicat On-Prem Server delivers an on-premises cloud environment solution designed to host Navicat objects—such as connection profiles and workspaces—within the user's own infrastructure.
In November 2021, Navicat unveiled Navicat Charts Creator and Charts Viewer to facilitate database visualization creation and viewing. These products were rebranded as Navicat BI and Navicat BI Viewer with version 2 in May 2024 and now include support for MongoDB and Snowflake integrations.
Features
Key features offered by Navicat include:
- SSH and HTTP tunneling
- Object design tools
- Visual query building interface
- Code snippets with auto-completion
- Visual explain plans
- AI-powered assistant
- Synchronization of data and structures
- Data transfer utilities
- Import/export functions
- Backup and restoration tools
- Business intelligence components (charts & dashboards)
- Data modeling and profiling capabilities
- Data generation tools
- Data dictionary management
- Task scheduling with guided wizards
Availability of these features depends on the operating system used.
Navicat is compatible with MySQL derivatives such as Drizzle, OurDelta, and Percona. It also supports a variety of cloud database services including Amazon RDS, Amazon Aurora, Amazon Redshift, SQL Azure, Oracle Cloud, Google Cloud Platform, and Alibaba Cloud.
See also
References